Ten Things I Hate About You
by thggirl
Summary: When lively attention seeking Prim begs her single father to let her date he makes a new rule: she can date when her older cynical, anti-social sister Katniss does. Primrose instantly understands that it won't ever happen without assistance of some kind so her and a few others devise a plan to get her sister hitched in a relationship.
1. Chapter 1

**I'm back with a new Modern day high school fanfic. It's just like I can't shake them off or something, anyways this is based off a movie from the late 90's called "10 Things I hate about you." And that's a adaptation of "Taming the Shrew," by Shakespeare.**

**If you want to better grasp of the story concept the trailer for the movie this based off of (10 Things I Hate About You) is on YouTube.**

**Also, this story contains many characters and they all play big parts, and for that reason it had to be in third person. Katniss of course, is our MC.**

**Thanks to Alycia for suggesting this movie to me. xx**  
**. . .**

The wheels of Katniss' rusty old car screech to a halt and she proceeds to curse under her breath upon realizing that she's merely three inches away from running a red light. She constantly getting to caught up in music to remember to pay attention to her surroundings. This is her favorite time of day, when she can roll down her windows and let in the crisp morning air curl its fingers through he braid. The sunlight is golden at this hour of morning and smothers everything in its path with imaginary vibrancy and strong color you cannot hide from, nor want to.

But even this perfect day or her favorite rock song blasting from the car stereo can't make the dark haired girl happy. Ever since she left the house her nerves are on edge and everything has seemed wrong. It started when she saw her younger sister slip past her father and scamper out the door wearing the shortest dress she owns. Prim, her sister, was growing up, and that was fine with Katniss but she was afraid she'd repeat her mistakes and throw herself in the same depressing hole she herself had fallen in. Of course Katniss liked the girl who arose, she was content with whom she'd become but her sister just wasn't meant to take her path. I should have done more, she thinks to herself, all she did this morning was shake her head at Prim, not protest or call her father's attention to it, just a simple sign of her disapproval, that's it.

A car full of girls roll up in the lane beside her and pause their conversations to exchange a glance at Katniss, she returns their looks with a glare of her own. The squeal of guitar coming inside the cab overrides the music coming from the nicer car. They're the first to leave when the light swaps to green.

. . . .

Rory Hawthorne's world slowed down when he saw her, it was like one of those movie's where the guy saw his dream girl and the scene went slow motion for about a minute. Primrose's hair seemingly glowed in the sun rays beating down on the backs of the high school students, this is the moment he's filled with nervous attraction once again. He had felt in crawling under his skin all year, hence he finally grew into his frame and lost his baby fat. He watches grey eyes wild as she crossed through the schoolyard Glimmer on her heels. They were discussing some party, however it was obvious to every male in the school that beautiful Prim would never attend unless a miracle happened, she was too shielded by her father.

"Forget it," Vick, his brother spoke, effectively snapping him from his daze.

"Uh huh, I know," he replied still not fully immersed in reality yet, his eyes were somewhere else and he was thinking of impossible things.

"Really. Everyone in this town knows she's not allowed to date or do anything, it's hopeless."

Prim adjusted her backpack strap and smoothed down her strawberry dress as she conversed with her long time friend who's very like-minded to herself. Out of the corner of his eye he sees his brother give a terse shake of his head.

The infatuated grey eyed boy began to wonder if his chances completely are doomed. It was like finding something you really wanted but being a dollar short of the price, and therefore you had no way to buy it but albeit you still couldn't cease your thoughts of it.

. . . .

Every time Katniss sees Cato she cringes, not just a simple cringe but a deep one that twists your entire face and echoes your disdain. On her way to her first class she always clutches her books to her chest and silently prays that he will be absent from school. It only seems like a once a year occasion, he's always there to make her squirm and feel uncomfortable and make her first class miserable. When he does stay home she swears she could kiss the first person she sees from happiness. Today was no different than the last and he was there to greet her as rudely as possible.

Class begins almost immediately after she arrives, the grey-eyed girl barely has time to hang her back pack over her seat. The instructor Mr. Thresh claps his hands a couple times to grab the students attention. "Everyone what did you think of 'The Sun also Rises.'"

The hand of a girl Katniss has never directly spoken to rises. She's selected since no one else put their hand up, almost instantly words begin to flow from her lips. "I loved it," she cups her cheek in her hand and balances her elbow on the desk ledge. "He's so romantic," she swoons, before pulling up the front of her top. Katniss scoffs at her, she even disapproves of her stupid green and pink shirt that makes her look like a giant watermelon.

The tempestuous girl shifts her body to her, the features of her face ugly like she had just tasted a lemon. "Romantic? Hemingway?" The olive skinned girl clicks her tongue. "He was an abusive alcoholic who squandered half his life hanging around Picasso trying to nail his leftovers."

"As opposed to a bitter self-righteous hag who has no friends?" Cato pipes up.

Katniss haughtily sticks her nose in the air before she turns to meet his eye, face hard. Cato laughs and slaps hands with Marvel his friend who praises him for just about anything

"Knock it off," Thresh calls from the front of the room, in a tone louder than he usually uses. Cato remains smug from his seat in the back.

But Katniss can't let it go that easy, her strong personality just won't let him have the last word. "I suppose in this society being male and a a-hole makes you worthy of our time." Everyone in the room turns to watch the situation escalate. Katniss turns to the front and continues, "what about Silvia Plath or Charlotte Bronte?"

At that moment Peeta bursts through the front door hair in a mess. "What did I miss?"

She spares a glance back at Cato before looking up to Peeta. "The oppressive patriotic values that dictate our education."

"Great," he nods before he pulls the backpack from his sweat plastered shirt and takes the closest seat to the door. He shoots weary looks at the teacher but Thresh must decide to let him off.

"Continue, please."

Six hours later after school has ended Cato pulls up to Prim and Glimmer with his wine red convertible. "Hey sweet things, could I interest you in a ride?"

Primrose feels like her day is a dream or some part of a movie, she's never had such good-looking guys give her attention in her sixteen years of life. He's even a senior, a voice in her mind coos.

From across the parking lot under a shady oak tree Johanna Mason turns to Katniss from the passenger's side of the car. "Look at this fascinating new development. Someone needs to kick that piece of shit in the balls."

The two senior girls watch the younger blondes clamber into the back seats. Cato says something to the girls but Katniss cannot distinguish it or properly read his lips.

She shakes her head, "that's disgusting."

"It is." Jo agrees sharply.

"We shouldn't let this happen-" The ponytail of the brunette swishes as she reach for the handle but Katniss hits the lock with her elbow preventing her from going out.

"No, I'm sure Prim is smart enough to not let that dumb ass touch her, besides this is the first time he's tried this, dad's drilled it into our minds enough not to let them do anything."

The brown eyed girl gives a heavy sigh. "Okay. This can't go much longer. Prim's young and dumb you know."

"I know." Her frown deepens.

The steel feline eyes of Katniss follow the car Prim rides away in, she pushes back the urge to call her little sister and give a firm no. Still resisting the desire to do something she puts the car into drive and takes the longer way home just to avoid Cato. I can't do anything to stop her, she reminds herself as she hits the on switch of her stereo.

Prim arrives home twenty minutes after her sister, and the oldest went five minutes out of her way to drop off her only friend. Prim opts to dash off to her room while Katniss stays to read.

There's a vast difference between the Everdeen girls, it wasn't always that way but things happened and life flickered into it's next stage. The events of a sudden decision weighed down on Katniss and transformed her into a rougher girl with a harsher appearance to everyone around her. The change began at the end of freshman year and by the beginning of her senior year she was undoubtedly someone else. Despite the put downs from everyone she wasn't fazed.

On the other hand her sister Primrose was a replica of her old self, only two years younger she was the most curious, innocent, bubbly girl you could ever find. She desired the teenage dream with a fiery passion, so much that she was relentless and always working at loosening her father's strict reins.

Katniss always wanted to guard her but eventually gave up, it's hopeless no one can possibly dissuade Prim and now she could see that.

At around 4:30 her dad comes home and doesn't even bother changing from his work clothes before he begins working on dinner, he's always done this, her mother is no longer here. The sound of dishes clanking together are comforting to her, it reminds her she is home and only her father is near and therefore it is one of those seldom times it is safe to be herself. Thirty minutes later there's the smell of turkey and thick gravy along with golden mashed potatoes wafting through all the walls of the house. The girl with the long dark braid feels her mouth begin to water in result. After he collects his daughters to eat they sit at the wooden table that centers the dining room. "I'll do the dishes," the older sister says as she picks up her spoon from the neatly laid out paper napkin.

"Thank you darling," father says as he himself begins to eat.

Prim then decides to open her mouth for the first time that night. "Daddy why can I not date?" Katniss internally scoffs at the soft way she asks him, of course she wants to butter him up.

He replies an answer identical to the one he's provided since Primrose had become a pre-teen. "I don't want you to make a mistake that will endanger your future, it's not that I don't trust you but I know the guy's there are not good enough for you."

She protests with swiftness. "Not true dad, I've met some decent ones and it's not fair, so many other girl's date in my class."

"-And they get to end up on sixteen and pregnant," Katniss interjects with a faux sweet tone.

"Katniss! You don't even know what you're talking about. For all we know you're a lesbian, you have never shown as much as a glance to the opposite sex!"

Her words leave a stinging in the older sister's chest, the truth is the older sister knows what she's talking about. All too well.

"She's right Prim," her father stands up for the eldest. "It's better for you, believe me."

"It's not though, how will I ever experience life?" she protests.

"Dad," Katniss interrupt the two's conversation once again. "Please ask her how she got home today."

He turns to her eye's wide as quarter's. "Did you take the bus today like you're supposed to?"

Prim feels instant anger flare up towards her sister, she always ruins good things for her. She turns and gives a pointed look in her direction before returning back to father who's anticipating his daughter's following words.

"Primrose?"

Katniss can tell she wants to spin up a lie but can't, not with her there to correct her if she does.

"Glimmer and I rode home with this very polite and kind boy who happened to have a car and time to spare-"

"Primrose!" he says, shocked. "Do you listen to anything I tell you! You cannot do that, I helped deliver a baby to a fifteen year old this morning. A fifteen year old, and she went to your school! I will not allow you to end up like her. No more of this interaction, I forbid it."

"Polite and kind," Katniss snorts, "Cato is anything but that."

Prim ignores her only sister. "Dad you cannot make me wait 'till I graduate, you just can't!"

A look washes over the features of Mr. Everdeen as an idea arises. "Okay, new rule."

Prim eagerly leans forward, if her father says what she thinks he's about to say she knows that her whole world will be a million times better. She'll be the teenager she sees in movies and models herself after. Her life she knows, will be one patchwork of perfection if she can date and be a normal teen. Finally, she thinks, I've talked some sense into him. He understands how important this is to me.

"Prim can date-" her cheeks hurt from smiling so broadly. "-When Katniss does."

The smile falls from her lips, she feels like her world is crashing around her. Prim rises to her feet in protest rejecting the idea within a second. "But she won't ever, she's weird! And no one could possibly like her, she's so mean!"

"I'm sorry Prim but I cannot stretch the rules anymore than that on something as big as this."

Prim storms up the stairs and buries her face in her pillow, she feels like doing nothing more than crying. Meanwhile, Katniss feels relieved that her father's stressed the topic with her, hopefully now she will back off from Cato.

"Thank you for telling me," her father utters softly as he scoops up some cranberry sauce. "She does not know better."

"I know," she replies feeling her appetite vanish.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter two, the story is speeding up. :)**

**. . .**

"You don't understand," Katniss Everdeen huffs, "I would not be here frequently if the school were not made up of such vile imbeciles."

"Katniss dear, in order to make it in life you'll need to raise your tolerance level." Ms. Trinket leans closer as if to empathize her words, the lights make the jewel-studded neckline of her dress flash as she adjusts to a new angle.

"Miss you still don't get it, these are not slightly irritating people these are full out assholes."

As Katniss curses she briefly bites her lip in regret, Jo has rubbed off on her too well, she cannot seem to form a single sentence anymore without inserting at least one swear word. However Effie seems unfazed by her string of words, she knows the girl before her is blunt and painfully honest. If she were to bother with sugarcoating her words the world would stare at her for an hour and wonder if she were drugged or something.

The perfectly made up woman behind the desk only purses her lips as if to bite back a smile. "I'm sorry, but these kinds of people are always going to be there, even as you get older. Throwing milkshakes at people across a room is just not acceptable. You can't keep doing these things or we will have to expel you from school, we've been trying to avoid that as that will go on your record and prevent you from getting into a good college." Katniss can't help it, when she brings up throwing drinks she cracks a smile wider than sun itself, the specific words bring up Cato covered in whip cream, face painted in shock. But when she mentions college she thinks of her scholarship at Sarah Lawrence and it sobers her up instantly.

The younger girl tilts her head down to the laced hands in her lap. "I understand this." Suddenly the girl looks back up to the pale woman. "But I am not the core of these problems, my actions are only the appropriate response. I cannot just stand around you know." She swallows thickly, her throat feeling extremely dry since the mention of her life afterwards, when this school year comes to an end.

Her visits to Miss Trinket were more pleasant than most, the guidance councilor enjoyed a student she could actually be real with. Katniss didn't get her feather's ruffled she only laughed at you, embarrassing her was the very example of a rare happening. Effie secretly liked her blunt personality, it reminded her of her fiancee Haymitch.

"Very well darling, just don't let it happen again. You know what they call you around here right? I believe it's the witch or shrew. . ." she trails off in thought before speaking once again. "Maybe you should work on improving yourself, be kinder, more approachable."

The fiery teenager restrains any emotion from dripping through the cracks, "I can't do that. I'm not my sister."

Trinket clicks her tongue in disapproval. "Well," Effie opens her laptop, "I believe our chat is finished. Get to class, you're already fifteen minutes late."

Katniss rises, pushing in the black chair and stretching her limbs. "I like our visits very much Effie, enjoy your smut writing. See you soon."

The councilor turns redder than apple skin, but doesn't reject the words or brush them off as untrue. "Get out of here."

Katniss smiles but lingers a little longer to irritate her. "As you wish."

. . . .

Later on that day Prim's normal table has one more guest than usual. Rory Hawthorne.

He's already there when she arrives and fixes her skirt to sit. He must have rushed because Prim didn't take too long to get to the lunch room with Glimmer sashaying beside her featuring cleanly shaved mile-long legs. "Hi there, are you new here?" Prim asks with a silvery voice as she straightens her posture.

Rory feels his heart sink to his stomach like a stone. He didn't expect her to recognize him but he had stupid hopes, he tries his best not to look wounded when he looks her in the eyes again. "Oh no, I started here at the beginning of this year, you just seemed like a nice group so I decided to try something new."

Prim eyes him and she can see her blonde friend doing the same from the corner of her vision. She notes him as average, but being around males feels like some exciting forbidden territory, so eagerly she accepts him. Her mind flickers to Cato. In her world he's exquisite, she likes to think he would sit with her if they shared the same grade. Nothing can distract her thoughts of him, he's been lurking there since he noticed her yesterday. Prim feels like she's found her light at the end of the tunnel, but her father has thrown a wrench in her way and she will find a way to fix it. She knows it.

Glimmer nods to him like an excited puppy. Afterwards she fixes her hair with her fingers; unrealistically afraid a light strand will point upwards and make her look atrocious. "Well, we should all go get some lunch."

He smiles timidly and follows them to the growing lunch line, which is full of rowdy bodies and ceaseless chatter. He watches as another girl bounces up to Prim like she is long lost family or something. The teenage boy is teeming with nervous energy, he almost wants to say forget it and cross back to the beginning of the line but he can't, Rory likes her too much to do that. The line moves slowly, a few push past and butt into the front but nothing major occurs. "Are you okay?" Prim suddenly inquires, hand skimming his forearm, he jumps back like a coal had just touched him but immediately regrets it. The mildly concerned blonde girl feels embarrassed by doing the gesture in result, her cheeks show it.

"Of course, I was just thinking."

She takes a step closer, he's half a head taller than her. "About what?"

"Uh what I want to eat today." He instantly lies, almost suspiciously so, but she seems to buy it. A handful of profanity walks through his mind, he wishes he'd have made a better topic. How will he ever be interesting to her? The truth is he was thinking of how to ask her about doing something with him. Or maybe the reason her father has decided to ban dating and see if he could find a way around it.

As these thoughts are prodding his mind unexpected words surpass his lips. "I'd like to go ice skating with you."

Surprise shoots through his stomach, he didn't mean to blurt out such straightforward words. Her two friends examine the scene with blatant shock and interest on their features. The blue eye's of Prim widen.

"Do you mean a date? Like, a real date?" Her stomach does a somersault at the thought of ice skating with someone. She thinks of Cato but brushes him aside for a moment, this could make him jealous and drive him to make a move she decides. A boy just stated his intentions and she is brimming with excitement or something akin.

He blushes faintly and proceeds to give a shaky nod.

"I'd love to!" She brightly exclaims, hands clasped together in delight.

"Really?" he asks, clearly over the moon.

"Yes!" her giddiness subsides, and she feels herself still with solemness. "But my dad doesn't let me date. He created some stupid rule, I can't date until my sister does."

"Your sister, as in Katniss Everdeen?" he forces out tense laughter thinking of her hostile eyes and unmovable frown.

"Yep, that's her," she chirps and takes a step forward as the line moves. "I've thought about ways to hook her up," Prim reveals. "But god, it just seems so impossible."

"Surely it's not," he consoles instantly. Rory's determination is like ice soothing Prim's burn inflicted by her father's decision.

"You think?"

Daunting is the eldest daughter of Everdeen, but he believes there's nothing a good strategy can't overcome. He can find a way to work the system, some guy must be desperate enough to give the anti-social girl a piece of his time.

Rory will find a way.

"I know so," the grey eyed boy gives what he hopes is a convincing smile. "Anything is possible."

He hopes snatching her up for his own is possible too, it's selfish but he can't repress his desires.

A bulletproof plan has formulated within a day, it clicks together like a twenty piece puzzle, simple and doable. At first the Hawthorne boy talked to a few blokes who looked like they may be willing for such a task, but none of them were up for it. She's too intimidating, her grim appearance highlights her independence. A girl like her is too much of challenge for an average man, anyone to get her invested romantically has to be a step ahead and sharp as a pin. And brave. Definitely ballsy.

People do extreme things; some climb steep mountains, others jump from the sky, there's the ones that swim with sharks. Rory decides that someone must be very daring to give it a go.

The ultimate factor is money, it drives people to unspeakable limits and pushes them beyond what they've tried before. Someone must accept the offer of taking Katniss Everdeen out for generous compensation.

His quest now is just finding a guy who is up for it.

In multi-grade French class he spins around in his plastic-backed chair and skims the faces until they land on one. The stocky blonde at the back of the room catches his attention; it's a ongoing rumor he was in prison for a year. He's hunted alligator before Rory's heard, perhaps he was looking at the man for the job.

He bumps the arm of his brother, no one realized they are actually siblings they just noted them off as friends. Vick drops his pencil and shifts to Rory agitated, "huh?"

"What about him?" he whispers, eyes flicking to the back of the room.

"Who?"

"Peeta Mellark. You know his records, he seems up for the job."

In all reality Vick thought Rory's relentless determination for Primrose Everdeen was foolish, getting girls like that was hopeless. "You don't even have money to pay him."

"I can get a job," Rory quips. "Burger King hires fifteen and up I'll just go there."

"No," the younger brother gives a weary shake of his head. "You need a backer, someone stupid with money."

Rory gives a dead laugh. "Where do I find this person?"

The youngest Hawthorne sighs and begins firmly rubbing his temples, "If you're serious about this I'll help you, but you owe me big time."

"I'm a hundred percent serious. What do you have in mind?"

. . .

Vick has always been the more apprehensive of the two brothers so the idea of talking to Cato Hadley causes his hands to shake with nerves and dreadful anticipation. He begins to contemplate why he's helping his smitten brother but can't pull up any real reason, he knows better than to back out now. Part of him wants to see it happen, Prim getting together with his brother. Rory he knows, is shooting far out of his league and this whole ordeal is a high level of crazy.

After school he pulls himself together and does it, he approaches Cato with quick strides.

"I heard you had a thing for Primrose Everdeen." He tries to play it cool, he really does. Instead of looking at the towering blonde he shifts his legs and looks at a crack in the cement, but ultimately he just ends up crossing his legs and feeling like an idiot.

"What does this have to do with you?"

Vick feels any ounce of courage he had left plummet to the pits of his stomach. He straightens himself up. "Hear me out. I heard their father made a new rule, Prim can date when her older sister does. I had an idea."

Cato squints at him as if deciding whether or not he liked the boy. Vick knows he could go through with the plan, it wasn't a secret that he had money to burn, he is a teenage model for a bigger name clothing company. He's just afraid he won't be able to convince him to jump for the idea.

"Spit it out kid."

The sun is violent and the wind is soft, a crumpled paper rolls around his shoe as he speaks again, this time rushed. "Peeta Mellark, he seems like a solid investment. You could pay him to take out her sister."

The model's eyes widened for a second, he was hoping that was a good sign. "What do you get out of this?"

Vick thinks about his poor social status and his permanently single label.

"I get into your parties?"

"Okay, I can do that. From now on you're allowed to any of the senior parties."

"Alright," the younger one says, incredibly amazed that it had gone well.

"Go on. I have things to do." Cato narrows his eyes.

Rory's younger brother spins on his heels and leaves in an instant, all the while still startled from the bright conclusion of the conversation. What they are setting up is crazy and wrong and the Hawthorne boys can't really stop it now, for it is out of their hands.

**. . .**

That night Primrose trots in the bathroom after her sister as she gets ready for bed with her brush tucked against her collarbone. Katniss turns the faucet to hot and throws a dry wash cloth in the basin. She wearily eyes her sister in the mirror but doesn't say a word.

"Have you ever considered a new look? You could have potential under all this hostility." Prim pulls up her braid, considering unraveling it for a moment.

The somber grey eyed girl is silent, she balances her palms on the rim of the sink before she speaks. "I am not hostile, I am annoyed."

The young blonde shifts awkwardly from foot to foot beside Katniss before deciding to perch on the lid of the toilet.

"You should try being nice. People wouldn't know what to think."

Katniss chortles darkly. "You forget I don't care what people think about me." She wrings out any excess water from the cloth and proceeds to scrub her face.

"Yes you do," Prim protests weakly.

"No, I don't." She replies with stern vehemence. "You know," the older sister adds, "you don't always have to be who they want you to be."

Prim begins to run the brush through her corkscrew curls. "I happen to like being adored, thank you."

Katniss only raises her eyebrows and continues washing up. After a minute she turns off the water and hangs the wash cloth to dry. "Where did you get the pearls?"

Prim stops grooming suddenly. "They're mom's."

The dark girl's eyes widen. "And you've been what? Hiding them for three years?"

"No," Prim snips, setting a strand of hair behind her ear. "Dad found them in a drawer last week."

"So you're just going to start wearing them now?"

"It's not like she's coming back to claim them!" Prim replies, evidently agitated by her sisters questioning. "Besides, they look good on me." She pets the necklace with fondness.

"Trust me, they don't." Katniss storms out of the bathroom and crashes in her bed.

Primrose huffs feeling exasperated, if only she could convince Katniss to be more feminine the world would be better. She's still unaware of the mess she's created, but soon she'll discover it and she won't do anything to stop it. Despite all the nice traits Prim has, selflessness isn't one of them.

The following day the plan continues forward. During gym class Cato seeks Peeta, a great amount of cash shoved to the lining of his front pocket. "I have come to make a request of you," Cato says, stalking forward towards Peeta with Marvel traveling behind.

"A request? Do I even know you?" His voice he knows, is rude, but the son of the deceased baker doesn't bother to mask it. He never has, not since the day where all the good things of life were suddenly obliterated.

"No," Cato pipes, he's nervous for what seems like the first time ever, he believes every rumor about Peeta Mellark. Cato's seen the graffiti he sprays on the sides of buildings and the kid with the busted eye whom he fought. "But I'm willing to pay generously for this job."

Peeta loosens up, just slightly. "What's this job then?"

"Primrose Everdeen can't date until her older sister does. Their dad's a real pain in the ass. I need you to take out the older sister."

A whirlwind sweeps through Peeta's mind. He is hesitant, should he really accept this offer? He understand that if he does he's playing with people's emotions and that's not very honorable.

"How much?"

Peeta Mellark narrows his eyes at Cato, he's always appeared sketchy. It's like you could feel the bad intentions seeping out of his pores.

"I'll pay you fifty dollars a day." Cato hooks a thumb in his pocket.

"Sixty." Peeta inserts firmly, "I'll do the job for sixty a day."

"Okay," Cato caves, and fishes out the sixty before forking it over. A few onlookers glance over but no one gives it too much attention.

Peeta counts three twenties, and pockets them before stiffly nodding. "I'll get right on it."

Cato points out to the field towards a group of girls kicking around a worn soccer ball. "She's the one with the dark braided hair. Katni-"

Peeta rises from the bleachers with haste, "I know who Katniss is."

And he did, truly, he'd kept her in his eyesight for a while, because he saw her reflected in himself. They are jaded people that seemed to care about life too much. Both have been shaped by the aftershock of an event that had inflicted intense feelings of desperation and hopelessness. The boy could tell she was pushing through life completely independent, Katniss is striving for something, perhaps the day she moved out from her father's home and waved her schoolmates goodbye. He knows she is extremely different, most girls around are like small lap dogs, likeable in every sense but she is like a pit bull and has no desire to change. Of course he knows she doesn't want any trouble, that's why he feels a bit guilty for accepting Cato's deal.

Secretly he's always wanted to talk to her, she strikes him as interesting. But even he finds her intimidating, he understands this job will propel him and leave no other choice than to do it.

Katniss is an unsolved mystery, and he's hoping he'll be the one to figure it all out. Even if he doesn't that's okay too. Although he'd be quite disappointed by that outcome and he can't exactly pin-point why.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: ****S****o I wrote and revised this fairly quick, I had an idea and I was pretty eager to write it down.**

**Fair heads up: This chapter meets its PG-13 rating. It contains more crude language than I typically use.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games. Yet.**

**. . .**

It seemed like a dramatic scene pulled straight from the pages of a romance book: a infuriated father chasing away his daughters love interest. Although this wasn't a novel this was reality, and it wasn't a pissed off dad it was an enraged Katniss. Which was worse.

For the youngest Everdeen it all was was recklessly spinning, the world's joined in some blur of motion that makes her nauseous. Tears ceaselessly stream down Prim's porcelain face as her sister charges down the steps of the front porch.

"Get the hell out of my yard you prick!" Katniss shouts, as she barrels towards Cato with a metal broom in hand. She could taste the sweat on her lips, she could feel it beading on her back and in between the strands of her hair. She saw red, her veins were spilling with her anger. She wanted nothing more than to beat him black and blue with the metal rod pressing into her palms.

"Please Katniss," Prim cries,"let him go!"

Cato ducks into the front seat of the car and fires it up in an instant, the engine purrs. He hits the gas so hard it leaves marks in the grass and turns up dirt.

From across the yard Katniss hurls the broom at the retreating car but misses by a foot, it clatters on the driveway in a heap. "Damn it!" She screeches, majorly disappointed that her chance to inflict damage on his car has passed.

She turns around slowly, seething with intense pent up frustration. When she spots her little sister her jaw clenches, Prim's wails echo from the fenced porch. The sun burns behind her making the fly-away hairs that'd escaped from her uneven ponytail glow. She has her back to the outdoor table.

"Get in the house now!"

"I hate you," Prim chokes out. She stomps her foot on the weathered wood. "I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!"

"Inside! Now!" Katniss shouts like an impatient parent. She picks up the broom and squeezes it untill her knuckles bloom with white. Finally the blonde obeys her command and stomps inside slamming the door and taking her teary snuffling sounds with her. Katniss exhales deeply and looks to the asphalt where the car receded from view. "Oh my god," she mutters under her breath. "I can't believe her. Stupid brat." She spots the marks in the nearly perfect grass. Only someone like him would so rudely park in the yard.

After propping the broom back up against the wall Katniss pushes through the door. The air-conditioning feels heavenly on her flaring skin and heated mind, however she is not soothed, she's still off the handle. She stalks through the house seeking her sister; it is certainly not a difficult task, Katniss just follows the sound of whimpers and gasping and ends up in the kitchen. Prim has her slimy hands wrapped around around a glass of water, her sounds mute every time she slurps down more liquid. Her cheeks are as red as her freshly kissed lips, she finally let her hair down and now it's a fuzzy mess. Like a golden halo on some teenage angel.

"Why did you let him? Do you know to what extent of trouble you're causing me?" Katniss stresses her words but she feels like they just float through Prim's ears and never skim her mind. "I warned you! And you let him take advantage of you anyways!"

She makes a move to leave but Katniss positions herself before her. "Oh no, you're gonna talk or I'll let dad know." Prim shrinks back entering a patch of sunlight that makes the tears on her cheeks look like diamonds.

Katniss steps forward. "Why did I just have to put down my homework to chase off a guy that shouldn't even know where we live?" When there's still no reply she begins to worry her lip and furrows her eyebrows. "You better talk soon, dad gets off work in half an hour."

"Katniss!" The younger sister squeaks, the cup obscures her lips. "It was just a kiss. Please, you're making such a big deal about it!" Prim won't even meet her eye, she just stays backed against the counter with the edge jabbing into her hips. Sparse sunlight streams through the window and catches on her smeared cup and the steel teapot their mother left behind.

"Just a kiss?" Katniss chortles spiritlessly, "he tore up the damn yard and groped your tits and shoved his tongue down your throat."

Prim's eyes widen. "You make him sound bad! He wasn't rough with me, I liked it, and he didn't mean to-"

"Prim, do you understand that he wants to use you to get back at me?" She speaks lowly, her voice is hinting danger. Her body aches everywhere, her sister is too dense to get anything, she just bypasses her messages of caution.

"Preposterous," Prim says, "he's actually interested in me. If you were nicer you two would get along! You have no room to hate him, you're very unlikable yourself!" Her voices adopts a high pitched tone one sentence into her speech. Primrose is wholly certain of her words and the older sister can tell her efforts are becoming futile, but settling for less than the truth is hard.

"How clear can I make this to you? He would've got his way if I hadn't intervened." Katniss swallows a mouthful of salvia to wet her throat and looks Prim in the eye. "He wants to fuck you. That's all he's trying to get from you."

Prim lowers the glass and gapes in disbelief. "You obviously know nothing." Her eyes shoot daggers at her sisters feet.

It just makes Katniss a tad bit more irritated. "No, I'm just not blinded like you. When he orders lunch at school he has condoms in his wallet. Tons."

"That doesn't say anything," Prim protests, "maybe he just likes being prepared!"

Katniss wearily shakes her head, then she rubs her closed eyes with her fingers. "He's always replenishing them. Always new colors and packages. He's a model Prim, he gets what he wants. You've got to understand that." Still the little sister keeps her face tense and disbelieving, her mind has pondered the subject so long it's accepted her hopes as reality. Cato likes her and wants a relationship in her world, that's that.

"Even if he were who you say he is, which he's most definitely not-" Prim hiccups and her voice drops drastically, it's so small she sounds like a needy child. "I could change him."

There's something tough about watching siblings grow up, you watch them make wrong choices and you try to point them in the correct direction. They never listen. So when Prim won't listen to Katniss she feels incredibly conflicted, she can't exactly trap Prim against a wall and knock some sense into her.

Katniss gives a sharp shake of her head. "No," she says dropping her head, "that's not your job or your baggage to bear."

She feels the dirt stuck to the heel of her feet and in between her toes.

Finally Katniss gives a heavy sigh. "I won't tell on you but you'll have to make an excuse for the tire tracks in the yard and explain that to dad."

It was the best she could do. Katniss couldn't forbid her from seeing him because she would only sneak around and hate her more. That's hard for the older sister to accept but she reminds herself that her job is not to raise her rebellious sister.

Her dad she knows, will catch her and set her in line soon.

Katniss turns her back to the kitchen and slogs to her room before collapsing on her bed. Her papers scatter and the pen rolls off the bed and smacks the floor. She only lays there for probably a minute before she feels the phone tucked in her olive green cargo pants begin to vibrate. It's Johanna.

"Hello?" Katniss croaks.

There's faint sound on the other end. Light chatter and the sound of chairs scraping tile.

"Hey we need to go somewhere, my brother is seriously pissing me off."

Katniss is quiet for a moment. "Again?"

"Yes! That idiot tried to take the house phone into the shower with him, he already broke his own, he needs to piss off."

Katniss thinks of Jo's single mother, a woman with dark hair and a voice like a blade. "Well, where's your mom?"

"Work. Enough of me, you sound like you've been to hell and back. Explain." That's when she did realize her throat was scratchy, most likely an effect of her hollering at Cato to get his hands off her little sister's breast.

"I, um." Katniss thinks of Prim just outside her door, whose still trying to muffle her shaky breaths and clear her face before her father arrives. "I'll tell you once I pick you up."

"Okay that better be soon, I'm going insane in this house. Really, drink some water first, your voice sounds-"

"Pained? Rough?"

"-I was going to say it sounds like shit, but whatever floats your boat."

**. . .**

"Drive, now!"

Johanna clambers into the old car with a vitality that she cannot conceal. She balances the house phone on her knee, and bounces in her seat voice hysterical, Katniss doesn't hesitate or ask questions before hitting the gas. An overgrown tree drooping freely over the road scrapes against the roof of the cab, charcoal shadows sail through the windows and dapple the road in a pattern less way.

After putting a mile between Jo and her house, Katniss turns to her friend moderately perplexed. "What was that all about?"

Jo paws at her flushed cheeks, panting. "Just," she gasps for air, "my brother found out this was missing just as I left and was coming out of the house just as I jumped in." She waves the sliver and black phone before cradling it in her arms again. Katniss frowns, Johanna continues, "He got a girlfriend and now he's constantly trying to phone her. I wanna kill him about now."

The engine hums and mingles with the brunets breaths.

"How unusual," Katniss deadpans, as she begins to drive aimlessly through suburbs. They pass a handful of things, nothing remarkable. A cream country kitchen with a hideous red roof, a recreation center and a gaggle of people strolling down the broken up sidewalk probably on a quest to find town.

Eventually the tightness eases from Johanna's bones and her breathing calms. She throws the phone into the bench back seats and works at the wind-up window."Why was your voice hoarse earlier?" Imploring brown eyes stare at Katniss with hidden mild concern.

"It's quite a story." Katniss starts running her nails against the wheel, the wind tugs at the loose strands from her braid and kisses her neck. "I was about fifteen minutes into my homework today when I got up to go get a glass of water. . ."

Jo raises an eyebrow impatiently, "And?"

"I looked out the window and saw a convertible in the yard." The car rolls to a halt at a empty red light; sunlight files through the cab and twines through both girl's messy hair as they make a turn for a newer road.

It's obvious Johanna can't take the wait and she alerts Katniss of it after ten seconds of silence and painful anticipation. "Who the hell was it? Get to the point."

"I looked out the window of the front door, Cato was making out with Prim on the front porch."

"-That son of a bitch," Johanna gasps.

"It gets better," The raven-haired girl warns, "he was groping her and forcing himself on her." Shock is blatantly written across Johanna's face, her jaw is slack and her eyes are the size of full moons. "Being enraged as you could expect, I went on the front porch screamed my voice out and grabbed the first thing I saw, which happened to be a broom. I literally chased him with it, he jumped in his car and left."

"You didn't get any hits on the car, right?"

Katniss shakes her head in defeat. "Sadly, no. I missed by about a arm's length as he was driving away."

Johanna turns to her, eyes feverish. "Well damn. We've got to do something, he's way past due to get his own medicine. He's been harassing you for years, that spoiled bastard needs to learn that there will be some repercussions for the bullshit he pulls."

"What can I do? He's rich."

Jo's disgruntled now, the situation seems to irk her. "Some oppurtunity should present itself," she grumbles. The realization of powerlessness in that particular area of life elicits a scowl from both girls. "I'll take matters into my own hands if this goes on much longer," Johanna mutters darkly, biting her down turned lip and leaving crescent moon shaped nail-prints in her palm that nearly draw blood.

Some friend's are more protective than a well bonded dog, and those are the ones who stay with you until the end most of the time.

"No," Katniss says with finality, "I've got this."

**. . .**

For Peeta Mellark Saturday usually meant rising early to hold down the bakery until the later afternoon. Today was no different really, people buzzed in and out of the glass door, the bell continued to chime at each's arrival and the sun persisted to shine. A few teenage girl's come and go, each pointing him out as the guy who served a year sentence in jail. Luckily, most of the people who come the bakery are bored elderly couples and rushed middle aged women.

Still, nothing was peculiar. Not even Katniss slipping into the dingy music store across the street. She collects unwanted rock and roll albums like a little boy forcing his stash of Pokémon cards to accumulate more. Peeta was slightly more nervous as he saw Johanna follow, she was a stormy crudely-spoken girl he hadn't crossed paths with more than twice. Peeta, a nearly full grown man found her intimidating, despite his refusal to admit so, ever.

The youngest baker was thankful a uniform wasn't required, this was his chance displaying itself. To make it look even more like fate had establish such interaction his brother had just come in to take over until early evening, He himself was rapidly approaching the end of his own shift. He'd watched Katniss before, she could carelessly spend twenty minutes wrapped up in strange titles she found intriguing. Peeta would most definitely finish long before them with time to spare. This is where his draining endeavor of falsely taking out Katniss was supposed to begin; Cato didn't pay him a lump of money yesterday for nothing.

So fifteen minutes later he sticks to his mental plan and leans up against the hood of her empty truck. Butterflies swirl a web of chaos in his stomach, he thinks of her tight scowl and begins to wonder if the money is worth it.

Two minutes later Peeta's more fidgety than someone whose been in a car for five hours straight. That's when they come out, each carrying a handful of plastic CD cases. He can tell she's still oblivious to him, neither have looked up, Katniss' shoulders haven't tensed up like they do most times when she encounters someone from school.

"Did you ever get to eat?" she asks Johanna.

"No, nothing. I tried, but the idiot kept distracting me. Didn't even have time to make a simple sandwich."

Katniss squints to avoid the intense rays of the sun from burning her eyes. "Me either, I'm famished. Maybe we should swing by-" She looks up to find him hands in pockets, eye's brighter in the sunlight.

Jo smiles devilishly. "Hello there, you look fine today," Johanna begins striding forward towards. Peeta. "What do you think about your life?"

"My life?" Peeta's eyes widen, not grasping anything.

"Yes, it's a walk in the park, am I right? It's to my understanding all the girls in our school would love a night to do some nasty things to you."

Peeta gapes, shock washes over him in high tide. He'd never heard of such unashamed boldness coming from a woman he didn't know personally. "I. . . I," he chokes, unmistakably flustered.

Johanna smirks. "Don't be so shocked darling. Most teenage girls love a bad boy, we all are aware of your record."

He internally curses, Katniss hearing such things probably isn't helping his case.

Finally Katniss speaks up saving Peeta from her friend. "What are you doing here?"

He clears his throat and finds calmness once again. "I was in the bakery I saw you around here and I thought I'd stop by and say hi."

Katniss stares for a moment, narrowing her eyes in suspicion. "Hi."

"Impressive vintage fenders by the way, you don't see too many of them anymore."

"Yeah." She shrugs, she didn't even know the piece of junk had any admirable assets until he pointed them out.

Peeta glances between both girls before settling on Katniss. "You're not a huge talker I take it?"

"I suppose it just depends on the topic. My fenders don't sweep me into a verbal frenzy, you know."

"Well, what does whip you into a verbal frenzy," he inches toward her, "I really would like to know."

She unlocks her car door and points her nose up at him, "my life" she says, "is none of your business." Katniss slides into the front seat of her truck, Johanna follows suit. After adjusting her CD's in the backseat she begins to turn the key of the ignition. At that moment a vehicle pulls behind Katniss' effectively blocking her in. Not just any car, Cato's. She glares at him in her review mirror. Rolling down the window his loud hipster music begins to taunt her ears.

He parks and steps out, strolling past her, smiling like a snake.

"You better go move that damn car," she snarls. Her eyes are knives waiting to pierce his skin and cause harm. She knows she can't do much in public, chasing him with a broom was a once in a lifetime opportunity and she had already done that earlier today. However her dimmed rage from hours ago was still alive and well, and she would just have to contain it as best as she could.

Briefly she wondered if it was the same anger that put Peeta in prison, but she brushed it aside, his life was none of her concern.

Cato doesn't even bother to look back at her. "Nope, sorry, you'll just have to wait sweetling."

Johanna rolls down the window furiously. "Move your car asshole, or I'm going to go find an ax and stick it though your ugly skull."

Cato simply ignores her remark and continues on walking leisurely past the shops.

Katniss rolls up the window gnashing her teeth. "Jo," she says softly, "roll up your window and put on your seat belt."

The friend does so thinking that perhaps she found some way out but when she turns around she doesn't spot a way out. Then Johanna sees the way she looks at the back of his head, and the way her eye's gleam with malice. "Katniss, what the hell do you have in mind?"

She blinks. "Earlier you said a opportunity would present itself. I found one." Time slows down as she shifts to reverse, Peeta watches from the sidewalk appearing deep in thought and Cato is not too far away.

Johanna gives a Cheshire smile. "Do it brainless." And that was what she loved most about Johanna, her bravery and recklessness, any other friend would have tried to calm Katniss and suggested finding a food joint in walking distance. She only supported her rash decisions.

With the approval of her friend Katniss drops her foot on the reverse, her truck jerks sharply as she backs into the side of his spotless vehicle. While her truck receives a mere scratch the left side of his car caves in and metal pieces clatter to the asphalt.


End file.
